"Mediation is a Contact Sport." So said the late Sid Lezak, former United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, and godfather of mediation of civil cases in Oregon. By this, he meant that mediation between represented parties, before lawyer-mediators, is not a touchy-feely process seeking an objectively fair resolution of disputes. This is not to say that mediators don't encourage consideration of the opponent's legitimate needs (legal, financial, and emotional) or that counsel should be disrespectful or insensitive to the other side. However, mediation is part of the litigation process, not separate from it. Indeed, one of the best tactics in mediation is for counsel to make clear that he or she is ready, willing, and able to go to trial. Mediation is adversarial, and the preparation and tactics of counsel can make a big difference in the result. In this program, respected litigators Jane Paulson, Paulson Coletti and Dave Markowitz, Markowitz Herbold Glade & Mehlhaf and experienced mediator Rich Spier, share leading edge ideas for effective representation of clients in mediation.